Truck Air Conditioning

So... here is a non-family related blog, it is about my truck. A 1998 Toyota Tacoma. I have had it a few years, and I am hoping it lasts until Stephen turns 16. Four years to go. Well, the air conditioning was blowing very weak so I took it in to Fletcher's Auto Repair. He said the evaporative core was all plugged up, and it would cost $620.00 to replace. I said I was thinking more like $350.00. He said that they could do it for $550.00, but that was as low as he could go. I said 'No thanks', paid my $24.95 diagnostic fee and left.

I went and ordered the core from Checker Auto Parts for $169, went home, and began to tear my dash apart. The evaporative core is behind the dash. Three hours later I have the core in my hand. The first two pictures are of my dash torn apart and the evaporative core. Notice how dirty it was, no wonder no air was passing through. The part came from Checker, it didn't fit. So I ordered the $199 core from Checker, it didn't fit either.

While I was waiting for the parts to come in from Checker, I was soaking the original core in a bucket of water and dish detergent. I cleaned it as best as I could, and when the parts from Checker didn't fit, I just put the original back in. Now my A/C blows like a champ.